Signal noise reduction for imaging in biological analysis

Abstract

A system and method for characterizing contributions to signal noise associated with charge-coupled devices adapted for use in biological analysis. Dark current contribution, readout offset contribution, photo response non-uniformity, and spurious charge contribution can be determined by the methods of the present teachings and used for signal correction by systems of the present teachings.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. An imaging system for analysis of a biological sample, comprising:
 a detector comprising a plurality of pixels; 
 a readout component configured to read an output signal from each of the plurality of pixels; 
 a controller configured to obtain a first data point at a first exposure time of the detector to a substantially dark condition and a second data point at a second exposure time of the detector to the substantially dark condition, the second exposure time being greater than the first exposure time; and 
 a processor programmed to use the first data point and the second data point to remove signal noise from the output signal, wherein the signal noise comprises a dark current component, a spurious charge component, and a readout offset component. 
 
     
     
       2. The imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further programmed to normalize one or more of the corrected signals. 
     
     
       3. The imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further programmed to identify at least one hot pixel, at least one dead pixel, and to assign an approximated value to each hot pixel and an approximated value to each dead pixel. 
     
     
       4. The imaging system of  claim 3 , wherein the approximated value comprises a normalized signal of two or more neighboring pixels. 
     
     
       5. The imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a biological reaction component configured to receive a biological sample, wherein the detector is configured to read fluorescent light emitted from a nucleotide sequencing reaction of the biological sample. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a biological reaction component configured to receive a biological sample, wherein the detector is configured to read fluorescent light emitted from a microarray containing the biological sample. 
     
     
       7. The imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a biological reaction component configured to receive a biological sample, wherein the detector is configured to read fluorescent light emitted from a sequence reaction of the biological sample. 
     
     
       8. The imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a biological reaction component configured to receive a biological sample, wherein the detector is configured to read fluorescent light emitted from a high-throughput screening reaction of the biological sample. 
     
     
       9. The imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a biological reaction component configured to receive a biological sample, wherein the detector is configured to read fluorescent light emitted from an amplification sequencing reaction of the biological sample. 
     
     
       10. The imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a biological reaction component configured to receive a biological sample, wherein the detector is configured to read fluorescent light emitted from a polymerase chain reaction of the biological sample.